1960 Winter Olympics displays to open at Tahoe City's Boatworks Mall

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TAHOE CITY - A comprehensive display of artifacts, memorabilia and photographs depicting the 1960 Olympic Winter Games will have its grand opening on Jan. 16, 6 p.m. at the Boatworks Mall in Tahoe City. Channel Properties, owners of the mall and Boatworks merchants are hosting the new displays that will run for the next two years. Hacienda del Lago will offer extended happy hour specials on drinks and food. Jake's on the Lake will serve a 1960 Winter Olympics-themed dinner special.

The collection includes official Olympic items such as skis, racing bibs, official results, promotional literature and participation mementos. The exhibit shows rarely seen conceptual drawings prepared by Walt Disney for planning of the VIII Olympic Winter Games. Selections from the photographic collection of official Olympic photographer Bill Briner will be a central feature. Dozens of never before exhibited banners, souvenirs and spectator memorabilia from the Batiste Family Collection will be on display. The collection includes items from the pre-Olympic days of Squaw Valley Ski Area.

Visitors will learn the story of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games as told through excerpts from the book "Snowball's Chance - The Story of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games" by David C. Antonucci. The exhibit includes a tribute to current and past Tahoe-area Winter Olympians and prominent skiers.

The new exhibit is presented by Tahoe Museum LLC, a public benefit organization founded by Sacramento area physician Stan Batiste, M.D. and Olympic historian David C. Antonucci. The Auburn Ski Club and Squaw Valley Museum Foundation are participating by contributing rare artifacts to the displays.